Tracy Scott is currently undergoing counselling to help her come to terms with the loss of her unborn baby and her brush with death.

Tracy, aged 35, suffers from Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), a potentially fatal disorder which causes blood clots, but can be controlled with the correct medication.

After talking to specialists at St Mary's Hospital, Manchester the couple, from John Street, Whitworth, felt that it would be safe to try for a baby.

Tracy was around 15 weeks pregnant when, on the morning of 10 January, she was rushed to Rochdale Infirmary's Accident and Emergency Department after suffering severe abdominal pains.

Husband Stephen says they had to wait nearly five hours before she was given tests - and when she finally had an x-ray no shield was put across her abdomen to protect the baby.

He said that when she was given an endoscopy (an investigative camera into her stomach) there was no anaesthetic to numb her throat - a claim that Rochdale Infirmary categorically refutes. Tracy was moved to a medical ward 13 hours after she had arrived.

But Stephen believes their request for her to be transferred to St Mary's Hospital to see specialists was not taken seriously enough.

She was transferred at 4.30 pm the following day. Within two hours doctors at St Mary's discovered she had a 9cm blood clot on her lung and she was rushed to Manchester Royal Infirmary where, later that night, she stopped breathing and was put on a life support machine.

Tracy regained consciousness two days later but the doctors had to terminate the pregnancy for her safety. She was finally released from hospital last Friday.

Stephen said: "We've been mentally scarred. Tracy is very withdrawn and suffers from horrific nightmares. If Rochdale Infirmary had listened to us or acted sooner things may not have escalated and Tracy might still be pregnant."

Richard Brown, operations director at Rochdale Healthcare NHS Trust, said that Mrs Scott was "assessed appropriately" in A and E, on 10 January.

He said: "Mrs Scott was admitted to the ward and had a range of tests including two ultrasound scans which were reported as normal. A chest x-ray was also undertaken and, in answer to Mr Scott's criticism, I can assure him that there is no requirement for protection.

"An endoscopy procedure was undertaken and our records show that anaesthetic throat spray was given beforehand."

He said he couldn't comment on the transfer until speaking to St Mary's.